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Title: William Drennan, Prestonpans, to [Mrs Matty McTier, Belfast?]
ID881
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileDrennan, William/78
Year1779
SenderDrennan, William
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationmedical student
Sender Religionunknown
OriginPrestonpans, Scotland
Destinationunknown
Recipientunknown
Recipient Genderunknown
Relationshipunknown
SourceT 765/1/9{a}: Obtained From Mrs. Duffin, Summerhill, Mount Pleasant, Belfast. #TYPE LET The Drennan Letters, 1776 - 1819: Extract of Letter From Wm.[William?] Drennan [Preston Pans?] to [Mrs. Matty McTier, Belfast?] 14 November, 1777.
ArchivePublic Record Office Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9002022
Date14/11/1779
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLET
Log22:02:1990 JM created 19:08:1991 SQ input 19:08:19
Word Count306
Genre
Note
Transcript... I battled with the dry Doctor and the August Advocate
McCormick in the american subject like another Orlando, and was a good
match both for the law and the Gospel.
I called on the Drysdales and the remaining Miss Camp-tells [Campbells?]
one of them having gone to lead apes in the Edenswigh below--
I drank tea with Mrs. and Miss Kennedy who were extremely full
of verbal civilty [civility?], and the little lady the prisoner of
politeness---
I have taken a room at the same price but much better than the
good Mrs. McKnight had engaged for me the last winter I spent here -
2/6 per week and a shilling for coals--- It is at the extremity of
Nicholsons Street and very light and hartsome [heartsome?] and not so
much troubled with wind and that of not the best favour, as this
Edinburgh gen.y [generally?] is --- One might conceive it as a great
unwieldy beast troubled and distressed every night with a periodical
colic, and discharging at short intervals, its thick and thin its wind
and water, unrestrained by decency and uninfluenced by admonitions or
by punishments. Let it f--- and s--- away on a poor Irish American -- I
care not.
I shall return tomorrow and enter on my medical campaign with
the caution of a Washington, and I shall be as independent in Physic
as I am and ever will be in Politics- I will fall down and bow
before no golden calf. No Caesar in medicine shall lead me captive at
the wheels of his chariot- Like a lighthouse on a small and stable
rock unconnected with the world and seated in the expanded ocean I
shall guide the distressed by my native splendour and the waves of
fashion and the winds of authority shall beat against it in vain....